


Kieran's POV: The Feeding Scene™

by justafictionalmanswhore



Category: Blood and Ash Series - Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 00:27:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30013305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justafictionalmanswhore/pseuds/justafictionalmanswhore
Summary: The Feeding Scene™ from A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, as told from Kieran's POV. Yes, he's horny.
Relationships: Kieran Contou/Casteel Da'Neer, Poppy Balfour/Casteel Da'Neer, Poppy Balfour/Kieran Contou, Poppy Balfour/Kieran Contou/Casteel Da'Neer
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	Kieran's POV: The Feeding Scene™

On most occasions, it was amusing to watch the fools that Casteel and Poppy became when they were around one another. Today, however, it was downright dangerous.

Kieran had seen the feral look in Casteel’s eyes this morning when he barged into their room--the telltale sign that he had not fed in weeks. The hunger had turned him into something savage. From the state of disarray that Poppy’s hair and clothing were in, it was clear Casteel had already inflicted his damage on her.

Hours later, Kieran had been moments away from lowering himself to his knees before Poppy, begging for her to reconsider, when she turned to him and willingly offered herself. A brief moment of surprise flickered through him, and then self-assuredness.

If Kieran held out any doubts that they were heartmates before, they were certainly gone now.

To find your heartmate was an extremely rare happening, one that Kieran was certain they had achieved. Kieran felt nothing but sheer joy for Casteel when he saw the way he looked at Poppy.

And for as much hell as Kieran gave Poppy, he had no doubt that she felt the same way for Casteel. She tried to hide her emotions, but Kieran could see them plain as day, a fact she often resented him for.

It was late when Casteel had called on Kieran, asking for him to watch over them as he fed, and to intervene if necessary.

Just promise me that you’ll do whatever it takes to get me off her if I start to take too much, Casteel had said earlier. I won’t be added to the list of men who have hurt her irreversibly.

Poppy looked like she was going to jump out of her skin, but nothing was new there. Nor were the worried glances she kept throwing Casteel’s way as he went over the plan once more. But what was new, however, was her scent.

Fear interlaced with curiosity was a typical scent for Poppy, but something darker and pulsating beat beneath it. A smell Kieran knew that Poppy subconsciously reserved only for when she was alone with Casteel. Inexplicably, she was avoiding Kieran’s eyes.

Not that it mattered right now. Kieran had a job to do. And that job consisted of making sure the girl in his arms didn’t die.

Poppy jumped as Kieran moved his fingers along the side of her neck, finding the throbbing vein instantly.

“I’m just going to monitor your pulse, just to be sure.” He said to her in what he hoped was a soothing voice.

“Do you normally have to do that… when he feeds?” She was watching Casteel with rapt attention.

“No,” Kieran said bluntly, finger pressing into her warm neck. “But he’s too close to the edge right now.”

Kieran had only seen Casteel remotely this hungry once before, when he had been returned home after being imprisoned by the Ascended for years. This would be bad if Kieran didn’t keep a close eye on him.

Casteel shifted closer to Poppy, threading his hands through her hair. “There will only be a heartbeat of pain. I swear.”

In a movement likely too fast for Poppy’s eyes to follow clearly, Casteel bent down, bared his teeth, and struck.

He felt Poppy’s pulse beat wildly as the new sensations drove through her. Sudden terror, fear, and panic, he assumed. The onslaught of emotions drove her to take a step back into Kieran. He placed a hand on her shoulder at the same time that Casteel had wrapped an arm around her waist.

It was then that it struck him just how sexually charged the situation was. Feeding was an often intimate practice, and Poppy was sheltered enough to never have experienced what it was like to be intimate with someone while another was in the room.

Was this why she was avoiding my gaze before?

Kieran had rarely thought of Poppy in a manner other than her being Casteel’s love. Sure, there had been moments where he had teased Poppy, but he never would do anything she was uncomfortable with. He had teased her that day while she was bathing because he was bored and she looked cute when she was flustered. 

The image of the shape of her generous chest hiding below the cloudy bathwater did not escape his mind for weeks to follow, however. 

It was Casteel’s movement that snapped Kieran out of his deep reverie. Casteel was pulling away after mere moments of drinking.

“That’s not enough,” Kieran scolded. “That’s nowhere near enough, Cas.”

Casteel and Poppy shared a few sensual-looking touches, until finally she murmured. “I’m okay. You need more. Take it.”

A flash of pride rang through Kieran. He had half-worried that she would be too scared to give him more blood following this feed, but if anything she seemed more eager than ever to help Casteel.

“She speaks the truth. Feed.”

Casteel leaned in to place small, intimate kisses along her jaw. Kieran knew he should give them the decency of looking away at the very least, but he couldn’t help himself. He watched with fascination as Casteel grazed the site of his bite with the tips of his lips. 

But before he latched onto her neck again, Casteel glanced up at Kieran. If he could scent Kieran’s lingering traces of arousal at their compromising position, he did not show it. Instead of appearing territorial at the sight of another man holding his fiancée, Casteel’s expression shone of raw desire and playfulness. 

Casteel winked at Kieran before he bit down firmly once more on Poppy’s neck. 

Something shifted between them as Casteel fed this time. 

Their motions were hungrier; it was as if Casteel hadn’t fed at all, but instead got a mere taste and would do anything for more. Poppy’s scent was overpowering now, and it was distinctly savory, too.

It was a scent Kieran could lose himself in.

Just as Kieran felt his own self-control slipping, so did Casteel’s. Kieran hit the wall with a force that knocked the air from him, and Poppy met his front end with nearly the same strength. Casteel was breathing heavily, body moving with hard motions into Poppy.

Poppy’s scent grew stronger, and he felt her relax deeper into his arms. Her skin burned where he touched her, and his eyes caught onto the motion of her fingers stroking Casteel’s neck. He watched, almost mesmerized, as Casteel drew one of her legs up and around his waist, parting her robe on both ends to incredibly expose her bare thigh and shoulder.

It was only when Kieran saw Casteel driving himself between Poppy’s legs with a need greater than blood itself that he thought to look away.

Kieran did his best to keep his eyes averted, to keep counting Poppy’s pulse beneath his fingers. But their movement made it hard to breathe, the scents made it hard to think, and the feeling of Poppy’s backside pressed up against him--

It simply made him hard.

Kieran stiffened at the realization of the situation that was forming in front of him. It wouldn’t be long before Poppy could feel it as well--

“That’s enough.” Kieran attempted to keep his lack of restraint from his voice. “That’s enough, Casteel.”

Blessedly, Casteel pulled away in seconds.

But the charged air hadn’t faded, the musky scent of the room had not dissipated. It had merely been suppressed, stifled for a moment, but was begging to be set free once more.

“Thank you,” Casteel growled. It took Kieran a moment to understand he was talking to him.

“You’re okay?” Kieran asked, and Casteel nodded. “Penellaphe?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

The tension as Casteel and Poppy held gazes was palpable. There was desire mixed with shame, incredulity cresting in Casteel’s eyes and awestruck trust shining in Poppy’s.

Kieran did the only thing he could think of while they were distracted with one another.

He ran.

He moved quickly so neither party could see the bulge he had failed to stifle. Soon, he was yet again locked away in his room, alone. It was only then that he allowed himself to think.

Was he jealous of Poppy, who had deftly captured the attention of his Casteel? Or did his jealousy stem from Casteel, who had found a heartmate so breathtakingly beautiful and brave?

The emotions settled in his chest as he pictured how he had last left Poppy and Casteel, shining in one another’s arms. He could not erase the desire he felt in the moment for both of them, nor could he efface the shame that resulted from such feelings.

Kieran thought it would be a good compromise then, to bury his sentiments deeply and never speak of them again.


End file.
